* Annual estimated passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at Southampton Central from Office of Rail Regulation statistics. Methodology may vary year on year.

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Southampton Central station was opened as Southampton West in 1895, to replace the original Blechynden/West End station (note nearby road namings). As built the station was on the seafront (specifically the stretch of water known as West Bay) with the water reaching right up to the southern edge of the platforms at high tide. A series of land reclamation projects to expand the docks, largely funded by the London and South Western Railway culminated in the building of the vast Western Docks between 1927 and 1934, which led to all of West Bay being reclaimed and the station becoming landlocked. The new land allowed the station to be enlarged and redeveloped in 1934–1935 (from two platforms to four), and became Southampton Central. Soon after the closure of Southampton Terminus station near the docks in 1966, the station was rebuilt in 1967, losing its clocktower, which was replaced with an office block. At this point it was renamed Southampton, although many years later it was once again renamed to Southampton Central.

Southampton Central is to undergo a revamp in the coming years. An £800,000 grant towards a £2.4 million of improvements has been provided by Southampton City Council in late November 2009. Network Rail will place £1.5 million with £475,000 from South West Trains who manages the station. The revamp will focus on an enlargement of the ticket hall, bus timetable displays, gate barriers (set to be upgraded to allow more people pass though the station), and overall facilities. The plan also hopes to improve disabled access to all areas of the station.

It was announced in late 2011 Southampton City Council has plans to re-build the whole station under the Western Gateway project. The project costing £200 million will see a new station with 10 platforms, and over 25,000sq metres of retail and office space. This project is part of the Future Southampton programme, set to be complete by 2025.[2]

Southampton Central was flooded by torrential rainfall on 26 May 2008.[3]

All the platforms are split into two sections, A at the east and B at the west, allowing two services to occupy a platform at the same time or to account for trains dividing into two portions, or attaching to make one train. This happens throughout the day on platforms 2 and 3, and in the peak hours on platforms 1 and 4.

There is also an ex-Red Star Parcels bay on the Bournemouth end of Platform 4. Previously branded as Platform 5, stopping services to Brockenhurst used this platform, but the platform can no longer be used for passenger services due to the lack of a proper starting signal. It is now used for the stabling of spare units. A number of goods loops are located a short distance away allowing terminating trains to clear the platforms for through services if required, and also to allow passenger services to pass freight trains.

Southampton Central houses both the South West Trains head office and a British Transport Police station in Overline House on the upside, with street access from Blechynden Terrace.

A partnership between Network Rail, South West Trains and Southampton City Council saw a £3 million pound investment in the refurbishment of the station and improved passenger facilities which was completed at the end of 2011.[4]

Southampton Central has three trains an hour to London Waterloo of which two take approximately 1 h 20 min and the Poole stopping service taking approximately 1 h and 40 min (this service is overtaken by the express service at Eastleigh).

Romsey can be reached from Southampton Central using trains departing in both directions, by South West Trains via Chandler's Ford in the up direction and by South West Trains and First Great Western via Redbridge in the down.

At the station, South West Trains offer the following in their normal Monday to Friday off-peak service pattern:

On 9 December 2007, a number of changes were made to South West Trains, First Great Western and Southern services. The old London Waterloo to Southampton Central stopping service has been extended to Poole, replacing in part the former Brockenhurst to Wareham stopping service. The former Poole train has been extended to Weymouth.

The Totton to Romsey shuttle and the Salisbury to Southampton Central portion of the First Great Western Westbury to Southampton Central service have been replaced by a South West Trains Salisbury to Romsey via Southampton Central and Chandlers Ford service, this calls at Romsey twice on its journey.[5][6] Southern have introduced a new service from Southampton Central to Brighton, the service to London Victoria now runs via Horsham rather than via Hove.

The station has a free shuttle service that links the station to the city centre and on to Town Quay, for the Isle of Wight Red Funnel and Hythe ferries. This service is operated by Bluestar and departs from the Weymouth side of the station along with Uni-link's other routes which serve the station. The now defunct City Clipper service also served this side, linking a number of places in Southampton City Centre to the station. This side of the station has the advantage of a turning space, so buses can come in and out, rather than just pass in either direction as on the London side. Bus services operated by Bluestar, First Hampshire & Dorset, Stagecoach in Hampshire and Wilts & Dorset use stops on the London side. Taxi ranks are also located on both sides of the station.